Antonia Major
Encyclopedia
Antonia Major (b. August/September 39 BC), also known as Antonia the Elder, was a daughter of Mark Antony
and Octavia Minor
and a relative of the first Roman Emperor
s of the Julio-Claudian dynasty
. She was a niece of the Emperor Augustus
, step cousin of the Emperor Tiberius
, paternal great-aunt of the Emperor Caligula
, maternal aunt and great-aunt-in law of the Emperor Claudius
, and paternal grandmother and maternal great-great aunt of the Emperor Nero
.
It is a slight misnomer to call her Antonia Maior, because there was in fact an older half-sister by a previous marriage. This Antonia was the elder of two daughters of Antony and Octavia Minor, but the middle sister. Tacitus Ann. 4.44.2 and 12.54.2 may have confused the two younger Antonia sisters (of whom the younger is far more famous). In Roman terms, the half-sister was the real Antonia Maior (but she is not famous), the middle Antonia (the subject of this entry) was properly Antonia Minor (the Younger), and her full-blooded sister was properly Antonia Tertia. Even a great historian like Tacitus may have been unaware of the oldest of the three sisters, or perhaps the court deliberately obscured her identity because she was not a niece of Augustus.
Antonia was born in Athens
, Greece
and after 36 BC her mother, along with her siblings and herself were brought to Rome. She was raised by her mother, her uncle and her aunt Livia Drusilla. According to Cassius Dio, after her father died, Augustus allowed her and her younger sister Antonia Minor
to benefit from their father's estate in Rome.
Antonia was held in high regard like her sister Antonia Minor
, the mother of the Emperor Claudius
, who was celebrated for her beauty and virtue.
Many scholars think the Ara Pacis
(an altar from the Augustan Era), displays Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and his elder sister Domitia. The woman behind Domitia and Domitius is allegedly their mother Antonia Major and the man next to Antonia Major is her husband Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus.
Gaius Stern and Sir Ronald Syme both dispute this claim, whose chief argument in its favor is that "it was written in German 100 years ago." First of all, the young Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus was born after the monument was completed. He can not possibly be on the Ara Pacis. His father was governor of Africa in 13 and was not in Rome for the Ara Pacis ceremony. Additional arguments against can be found in Stern, "Nero's Father and Other Romantic Figures on the Ara Pacis Augustae, CAMWS 2003; Syme, "Neglected Children on the Ara Pacis," AJA 88 (1984), _The Augustan Aristocracy_ (1985) 142, 155, 166-67.
An image can be seen at http://www.dl.ket.org/latin1/gallery/arch/ara_pacis.htm.
Some think Antonia died before 25, but Syme observes Sen. Rh. Controv. 9.4.18, which indicates that Antonia was alive after AD 33.
Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius , known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general. As a military commander and administrator, he was an important supporter and loyal friend of his mother's cousin Julius Caesar...
and Octavia Minor
Octavia Minor
Octavia the Younger , also known as Octavia Minor or simply Octavia, was the sister of the first Roman Emperor, Augustus , half-sister of Octavia the Elder, and fourth wife of Mark Antony...
and a relative of the first Roman Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
s of the Julio-Claudian dynasty
Julio-Claudian Dynasty
The Julio-Claudian dynasty normally refers to the first five Roman Emperors: Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula , Claudius, and Nero, or the family to which they belonged; they ruled the Roman Empire from its formation, in the second half of the 1st century BC, until AD 68, when the last of the line,...
. She was a niece of the Emperor Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
, step cousin of the Emperor Tiberius
Tiberius
Tiberius , was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD. Tiberius was by birth a Claudian, son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla. His mother divorced Nero and married Augustus in 39 BC, making him a step-son of Octavian...
, paternal great-aunt of the Emperor Caligula
Caligula
Caligula , also known as Gaius, was Roman Emperor from 37 AD to 41 AD. Caligula was a member of the house of rulers conventionally known as the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Caligula's father Germanicus, the nephew and adopted son of Emperor Tiberius, was a very successful general and one of Rome's most...
, maternal aunt and great-aunt-in law of the Emperor Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
, and paternal grandmother and maternal great-great aunt of the Emperor Nero
Nero
Nero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
.
It is a slight misnomer to call her Antonia Maior, because there was in fact an older half-sister by a previous marriage. This Antonia was the elder of two daughters of Antony and Octavia Minor, but the middle sister. Tacitus Ann. 4.44.2 and 12.54.2 may have confused the two younger Antonia sisters (of whom the younger is far more famous). In Roman terms, the half-sister was the real Antonia Maior (but she is not famous), the middle Antonia (the subject of this entry) was properly Antonia Minor (the Younger), and her full-blooded sister was properly Antonia Tertia. Even a great historian like Tacitus may have been unaware of the oldest of the three sisters, or perhaps the court deliberately obscured her identity because she was not a niece of Augustus.
Antonia was born in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and after 36 BC her mother, along with her siblings and herself were brought to Rome. She was raised by her mother, her uncle and her aunt Livia Drusilla. According to Cassius Dio, after her father died, Augustus allowed her and her younger sister Antonia Minor
Antonia Minor
Antonia Minor , also known as Antonia the Younger or simply Antonia was the younger of two daughters of Roman politician Mark Antony and Octavia Minor. Tacitus Ann. 4.44.2 and 12.54.2 may have confused the two Antonia sisters...
to benefit from their father's estate in Rome.
Antonia was held in high regard like her sister Antonia Minor
Antonia Minor
Antonia Minor , also known as Antonia the Younger or simply Antonia was the younger of two daughters of Roman politician Mark Antony and Octavia Minor. Tacitus Ann. 4.44.2 and 12.54.2 may have confused the two Antonia sisters...
, the mother of the Emperor Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
, who was celebrated for her beauty and virtue.
Progeny
Around 22 BC (she was 16 or so), Antonia married Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus (consul 16 BC). Their children were- Domitia Lepida the ElderDomitia (aunt of Nero)Domitia , more commonly referred to as Domitia Lepida the Elder was the oldest child of Antonia Major and Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus , and the oldest granddaughter to Triumvir Mark Antony and Octavia Minor, a great-niece of the Roman Emperor Augustus, second cousin and sister-in-law to the...
- she married the consul Decimus Haterius AgrippaDecimus Haterius AgrippaDecimus or Didius Haterius Agrippa was the son of the orator and senator Quintus Haterius. He was tribune of the plebs in 15 and vetoed proposals; was praetor in 17, consul in 22, and later senator. Agrippa at one time strongly urged the emperor Tiberius to nominate a limited amount of political...
and bore him a son Quintus Haterius AntoninusQuintus Haterius AntoninusQuintus Haterius Antoninus or known as Antoninus was a Roman who lived in the 1st century. He was the only child to Domitia Lepida the Elder and consul Decimus Haterius Agrippa....
. Domitia married Gaius Sallustius Crispus PassienusGaius Sallustius Crispus PassienusGaius Sallustius Passienus Crispus was a prominent figure in the Roman Empire during the 1st century. He was the adopted grandson and biological great, great nephew of the historian Sallust....
, consul suffect in 27, proconsul of Asia and consul in 44. - Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus (PIR2 D 127) - Consul in 32, he married his cousin Germanicus' daughter Agrippina the YoungerAgrippina the YoungerJulia Agrippina, most commonly referred to as Agrippina Minor or Agrippina the Younger, and after 50 known as Julia Augusta Agrippina was a Roman Empress and one of the more prominent women in the Julio-Claudian dynasty...
in AD 28. Agrippina and Domitius were the parents of the Emperor NeroNeroNero , was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Nero was adopted by his great-uncle Claudius to become his heir and successor, and succeeded to the throne in 54 following Claudius' death....
. - Domitia Lepida the YoungerDomitia LepidaDomitia Lepida, also known as Domitia Lepida the Younger, Domitia Lepida Minor, or simply Lepida ; was the younger daughter of Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus and Antonia Major. Her elder siblings were Domitia and Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, father of the emperor Nero...
(PIR2 D 180) - She first married her cousin, the consul Marcus Valerius Messalla BarbatusMarcus Valerius Messalla BarbatusMarcus Valerius Messalla Barbatus was a consul of ancient Rome. He was the father of the Roman Empress Valeria Messalina, great-nephew of the Emperor Augustus, and father-in-law to the Emperor Claudius....
to whom she bore a daughter, the Roman Empress Valeria Messalina, third wife of the Emperor ClaudiusClaudiusClaudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
. After the death of her first husband, she married Faustus Cornelius Sulla, cos. suff. in 31 and gave him a son, Faustus Cornelius Sulla FelixFaustus Cornelius Sulla FelixFaustus Cornelius Sulla Felix was one of the lesser known figures of the Julio-Claudian dynasty of ancient Rome. His grandmother was Antonia Major, the niece of Emperor Augustus by her husband Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus . His mother was Domitia Lepida, a great niece of Emperor Augustus and...
(who would become consul in 52). At the beginning of ClaudiusClaudiusClaudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
' reign, she married Gaius Appius Junius SilanusGaius Appius Junius SilanusAppius Junius Silanus, whom Cassius Dio erroneously calls Gaius Appius Silanus, was consul in AD 28, with Publius Silius Nerva. He was accused of majestas in AD 32, but was saved by Celsus, one of the informers....
, cos. in 28, who was put to death in 42.
Many scholars think the Ara Pacis
Ara Pacis
The Ara Pacis Augustae is an altar to Peace, envisioned as a Roman goddess...
(an altar from the Augustan Era), displays Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus and his elder sister Domitia. The woman behind Domitia and Domitius is allegedly their mother Antonia Major and the man next to Antonia Major is her husband Lucius Domitius Ahenobarbus.
Gaius Stern and Sir Ronald Syme both dispute this claim, whose chief argument in its favor is that "it was written in German 100 years ago." First of all, the young Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus was born after the monument was completed. He can not possibly be on the Ara Pacis. His father was governor of Africa in 13 and was not in Rome for the Ara Pacis ceremony. Additional arguments against can be found in Stern, "Nero's Father and Other Romantic Figures on the Ara Pacis Augustae, CAMWS 2003; Syme, "Neglected Children on the Ara Pacis," AJA 88 (1984), _The Augustan Aristocracy_ (1985) 142, 155, 166-67.
An image can be seen at http://www.dl.ket.org/latin1/gallery/arch/ara_pacis.htm.
Some think Antonia died before 25, but Syme observes Sen. Rh. Controv. 9.4.18, which indicates that Antonia was alive after AD 33.